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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 07/19/2004 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, JULY 19, 2004 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS Betsy Adams, Chairperson; Jennie Brown, Vice Chairperson; Bob Amell, Deborah Barkley, Molly Gilbertson, Elise Kist COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Adams called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. All Commissioners were present. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Amell, to approve the agenda as published. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - June 21, 2004 MOTION: Kist moved, seconded by Barkley, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held on June 21, 2004, as published. Motion carried 6-0. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF V. OLD BUSINESS A. Cemetery Management Plan and Registration - Robert Vogel Robert Vogel said he is writing the registration documents for Eden Prairie and Pleasant Hill cemeteries. The first part will describe each site, and the second part makes the case for historic significance. Management of the sites is part of the second part. Vogel distributed for review drafts of the Historic Site Plan of Treatment for the Eden Prairie Cemetery and the Heritage Preservation Site Plan of Treatment for Pleasant Hill Cemetery, along with aerial photographs. He said the two sites are very similar in age, size, layout and design. However, Eden Prairie Cemetery is HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES July 19, 2004 Page 2 owned by a corporation, and Pleasant Hill Cemetery is owned by the City of Eden Prairie. Vogel said the City's management objectives for the cemetery are quite different. The cemetery is maintained by the Parks Department, which outsources the work. That means it would be rather difficult to install historic preservation management, and there are some issues that cannot be dealt with in the registration document. The City Code makes the registration process impractical. The draft plan for Eden Prairie Cemetery states that the preservation concept is based upon an active partnership between the city and the cemetery owners. It is the desire of Eden Prairie to protect the historic character of the site and to make every reasonable effort to protect and preserve unmarked burials. Any major changes to the appearance of historic sites will be subject to regulation by the City. The Cemetery Association is expected to employ management practices that are compatible with the property's historic preservation values. For planning purposes, the cemetery is treated as one historic site with two components, old and new. Only the portion of the cemetery that was platted during the nineteenth century needs to be managed as an historic landscape. The preferred historic resource treatment concept for both cemeteries is preservation and rehabilitation where appropriate. Vogel does not recommend restoration to recover the form and details of the cemetery as it appeared at a particular period of time by removing later work, or reconstruction of missing historic features. The plans for both cemeteries state that the HPC, in its review of applications for Site Alteration Permits, will apply the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties within the framework of the Site Plan of Treatment, as found in the National Park Service's 1996 publication. Vogel said all the recommendations for the Eden Prairie Cemetery are advisory. The first twelve describe "best management practices" for the maintenance and conservation of historic cemeteries. The next ten are general guidelines to follow when rehabilitating historic landscape features, and the last six deal with developing historic interpretation programs. On the other hand, recommendations 13 through 28 for Pleasant Hill Cemetery are not just guidelines; they are definite requirements. The management plan would be given to the people mowing the grass, locking the gates, etc. Vogel stated that the Eden Prairie Cemetery Association is investing in a computer-generated management plan so the location of everything can be mapped. Pleasant Hill Cemetery's records, in terms of matching what they have on paper with the location of burial sites, are not good. The cemetery manager is trying to create a system to match them up, and the City will probably purchase a computer-based system similar to the one Eden Prairie Cemetery has. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES July 19, 2004 Page 3 Vogel recommends not allowing new burials in the original platted area of Pleasant Hill Cemetery. He said the HPC should make a policy recommendation to the City Council to stop burials in the old cemetery, even though most of it is owned by someone. That is because there is no good way to tell if someone else is buried there. Vogel recommends Pleasant Hill Cemetery be attached to the Parks Department as part of the City's heritage preservation system, and to manage and invest in it as a piece of public open space. There is growing interest in preserving historic cemeteries. Adams said once designation is in place, the HPC would be making recommendations on maintenance and management, as well as site alteration plans. She wondered if the HPC would also be making recommendations as to how the cemetery could be improved. Vogel replied the Parks, Natural Resources and Recreation Commission would be the group to approve any improvements to the cemetery,but he believes both commissions should reach an accommodation on how to make them. The HPC would want to make sure the Parks Commission doesn't cut out funds for maintenance of the cemetery, and to monitor what is done to see that the cemetery is being properly maintained. Vogel said he would recommend designating the privately-owned Eden Prairie Cemetery first. There are three people on the Cemetery Association governing board. Pleasant Hill needs more work before it would be ready for designation. Vogel said the lists of where persons are believed to be buried at Pleasant Hill and inventories of tombstones,posted on the City's Web site, are not accurate. One of the lists was obtained from the Historical Society. He suggested getting a more authentic list on the City's Web site. He was certain it would generate a lot of interest. Gertz said compiling that inventory list may be the next step to take. Vogel said by August he would have all the paperwork done to send out for review. August 31 is the end of the grant period. Vogel asked that the Commissioners give any comments to Gertz or else e-mail them to him. Adams reminded the Commissioners that this is the first designation process they have gone through and to bring any questions to the next HPC meeting. She thanked Vogel for his work on the cemetery management plans and registration process. B. Anderson School Restoration Adams said she went to the picnic for the all-school reunion at the Consolidated School and was able to talk to many people about the Anderson Schoolhouse. She had a brochure to distribute, containing a request for funds to restore the school and describing how the schoolhouse would be used to teach children about the experience of pioneer children. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES July 19, 2004 Page 4 The task force plans to raise funds in the fall and winter of 2004-5. Adams was informed the school system has said they will be allowed to move the building to school property after they have raised 80 percent of the funds, not 100 percent as previously stated. She believed it should be easy to get the final 20 percent once the building is moved. A list is being compiled of potential contributors. Adams is also preparing a power-point presentation. The greeting card depicting the school in water colors is being sold at Dunn Bros. in the Smith-Douglas-More House to raise money for restoration of the school. C. Cummins-Grill House Gertz reported that Miller-Dunwiddie prepared a proposal on repairs to the house. Several years ago the firm prepared a list of options and what they would cost. Miller-Dunwiddie used that information and their updated estimate is $597,000- $730,000, or an average of$633,750. Alternative 4 was for exterior repairs, doing maintenance and repair work, upgrading mechanicals and adding an air- conditioning system, with the possibility in mind of some light commercial use for the home. Gertz said the City would need to obtain more estimates to compare with Miller- Dunwiddie if they are to be sent to the Council. However, there has been some discussion about going into a lease agreement on use of the house, which would constitute a commercial use. That might require the City to look for similar land of equal value that could be used as LAWCON property to trade for the J. R. Cummins Homestead. That would allow the City to engage in lease agreements for a commercial use. However, Gertz believes there are some ways to use the house within the regulations of LAWCON funds. He said that until the City resolves that issue, they will not look at taking bids for work on the house. Whatever the Council does would be reviewed by the HPC. D. Riley-Jacques Farm Gertz said there are many changes to the project on the list of Consent Items for Council approval at its July 20 meeting. These are Proposal Requests 6-12, and if approved, these will be Change Orders 2 and 3. Proposal Request 6 is for repair of the foundation and wall, and number 7 is a request to repair the damage to the walls where someone tried to break into the back of the barn. Proposal Request 8 is to add one 180-volt circuit. Proposal Request 9 is to demolish and rebuild the walls for the unisex bathroom, as recommended by the structural engineers. Proposal Request 10 is to expand sewer and water service to the Riley-Jacques house,rather than remaining on a septic system. Proposal Request 11 is for the sanitary sewer connections from Riley Lake Road to the barn. Gertz said Proposal Request 12 includes extending the concrete trail from the parking area to the barn by 40 linear feet, in order to maintain the 1:20 slope ratio HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES July 19, 2004 Page 5 required for compliance with ADA. The reason the trail had to be lengthened was due to an error in the ground survey and incorrect elevation point that was noted at the upper barn loft elevation. That required redesign of the upper plaza and trail that connects the plaza to the parking lot. It also required raising the grade level at the barn and adding steps to the side of the barn. In addition, the Parks Department recommended that the trail be thickened to 5 inches,in order to accommodate the heavy trucks that would be using it. The total cost for Change Order 2, which includes Proposal Requests 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12, is $42,920. Change Order 3, Proposal Request 11, totals $49,904. Gertz said there is no contingency fund for this project. However, even with these changes, the total cost is within a typical project of this size. He said it would be appropriate for the HPC to make a recommendation to the City Council on approving them. MOTION: Amell moved, seconded by Brown, to recommend approval of Proposal Requests 6 through 12 to the City Council, as submitted by Miller- Dunwiddie Architects. Motion carried 6-0. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Heritage Site Dedication Plans August 3 at 6:00 p.m., Fredrick-Miller Spring improvements. City Council members are expected to be present, and HPC members will receive an invitation. The interpretive panel will be in place. September 7 at 6:00 p.m., Richard T. Anderson Conservation Area. September 18 at 1:00 p.m., Purgatory Creek Recreation Area. September 26 at 1:00 p.m., Riley-Jacques barn. HPC members will receive an invitation. October 9 at 10:30 a.m., Jean Harris Gathering Bridge. Gertz said he is working with the Parks Department on a biographical panel about Jean Harris. B. Riley-Jacques Farm Event Plans Gertz said he has been helping Sandy Werts put together plans for the dedication. Mayor Tyra-Lukens will talk about the farm and barn, and City Council members are also expected to attend. The dedication is being held in the barn, followed by a three-hour program of entertainment. They hope to have a threshing demonstration given by the group that does threshing programs at the State Fair. One of them has a wife who likes to demonstrate domestic chores that were HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES July 19, 2004 Page 6 common on the farm. He was sure she would love to look at the Dorenkemper house and probably would want to demonstrate the chores there. The City is purchasing a cider press; it would be used at the dedication and for future programs. Some apple trees will be planted for that purpose. Gertz said he would talk to Sever Petersen about planting a small crop of wheat or rye for threshing in the future. Gertz said the site is expected to be used a great deal. He asked HPC members to think about possible programs for the property and let Sandy Werts know if they have any ideas. She will be preparing a calendar of events for early spring through late fall. Sunbonnet Day will likely be moved to the farm next year. Brown said there is a feature article on the barns of Minnesota in the University of Minnesota alumni magazine. It reports there will be a traveling exhibit sponsored by the National Trust on Historic Preservation. `Barn Again"has a contest every year. Perhaps the Riley-Jacques barn could be entered for next year. C. Minnesota Preservation Conference Adams reported that the Minnesota Preservation Conference will be in St. Cloud on September 23 and 24. Gertz said the City would cover the cost for HPC members who attend. D. Inventory of Historic Properties Adams asked that copies of the inventory of Eden Prairie's historic properties, both those that have been designated and those that are eligible for designation,be attached to the minutes so they can be discussed at the next HPC meeting. VII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Brown moved, seconded by Barkley, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0. Adams adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m.